More rains plague California

Mudslide threat intensifies in hills stripped by fires

A car that plunged into the swollen Arroyo Seco river in Los Angeles was removed after its two occupants were rescued. Up to 2 inches of rain fell yesterday in Southern California's coastal areas. Some areas have received more moisture in a week than during last year's rainy season.
(mike meadows/Associated Press)

Officials said the rain brought a threat of serious slides on hillsides stripped of vegetation by last year's wildfires. Mud and minor rock slides prompted authorities to shut a highway through a San Diego-area burned between Ramona and Escondido.

The Los Angeles County and Orange County fire departments were on standby for possible flash floods and slides. Flash flood watches remained in effect through last night for Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Bernardino counties.

The storm system also soaked parts of Northern California and the weather service posted winter storm warnings for parts of the Sierra Nevada.

A highway was closed in the mountains south of San Francisco, and Pacific Gas and Electric said about 2,700 homes and businesses were still blacked out because of earlier storms.

A series of fierce storms has caused deadly avalanches, flooded streets, and set off mud and rock slides in recent days. Some areas have received more moisture in a week than during the entire rainy season last year.

Three skiers were killed Friday by avalanches that swept through canyons outside the trails of Mountain High ski resort at Wrightwood, northeast of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains. A fourth man escaped the avalanches.

Avalanches are unusual in the San Gabriel Mountains, but the peaks had been hit by 3 feet or more of new snow this past week, drawing skiers and snowboarders.